What do you think?

[Curly green finger's]

Does any one else receive emails like this.

Dear Mark

I have seen your notice on the LBKA website that you are looking for a site on the Clee Hill to keep bees. I have just completed the Beginners course and would love to get a hive but don’t feel confident yet. I have a property down the hill from you at Whitton - might you be interested in a shared arrangement where I supply the hives and you your expertise so I could learn the practicalities. Once I knew what I was doing we could share the care too.

Kind regards

 

[hemo]

No, but I have shared a site before. Never again.
The other beek interfered with my colonies so I moved them and left him to it.

 

[Pugmitch]

I’d be happy to have my bees on the site.......joint care.....errr no!

 

[Ian123]

A site with 1 hive is pointless, you may want another dozen or 2. Joint care no trying to organise a time convenient for both is problematic. Maybe free labour if you want a hand with other hives? But then that opens up other issues. Depends rather what you think of them.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I wouldn’t do it
How do they expect a commercial bee farmer to mentor them individually?
Tell them they can shadow you for a season

 

[Murox]

Same as Ian123 and Erichalfbee, have a chat face to face and assess them and maybe invite to shadow you. Keep things as sweet as possible given they are close by and will probably end up with bees from somewhere, hopefully the ones you supply.

 

[pargyle]

Does any one else receive emails like this.

Dear Mark

I have seen your notice on the LBKA website that you are looking for a site on the Clee Hill to keep bees. I have just completed the Beginners course and would love to get a hive but don’t feel confident yet. I have a property down the hill from you at Whitton - might you be interested in a shared arrangement where I supply the hives and you your expertise so I could learn the practicalities. Once I knew what I was doing we could share the care too.

Kind regards

I thought you already had a load of people you mentored ? What's one more ?

 

[Curly green finger's]

I thought you already had a load of people you mentored ? What's one more ?

Two family's is enough plus I'm working for clients as there beekeeper now the clients have around 600 acres of Heather.
No more landscaping for me just all bees

 

[B+.]

Does any one else receive emails like this.

Dear Mark

I have seen your notice on the LBKA website that you are looking for a site on the Clee Hill to keep bees. I have just completed the Beginners course and would love to get a hive but don’t feel confident yet. I have a property down the hill from you at Whitton - might you be interested in a shared arrangement where I supply the hives and you your expertise so I could learn the practicalities. Once I knew what I was doing we could share the care too.

Kind regards

On the face of it, this looks like someone is looking for a mentor. Are you ready, willing, able to do that?
It seems that he is willing to take all the financial risk so what do you get out of it? What happens if/when you either fall out/he feels he has learned enough?
There are lots of questions, which you should explore, if you think you might be able to help. I would just say; if you choose to go into this, do so with your eyes open and have a long, honest talk with the guy about what you can offer and what he must do. It would be foolish to expect him to be a competent beekeeper though. He's clearly not there yet.
Will he screw up? Certainly - it's called learning. Will he screw up badly? That depends on you.

 

[Curly green finger's]

On the face of it, this looks like someone is looking for a mentor. Are you ready, willing, able to do that?
It seems that he is willing to take all the financial risk so what do you get out of it? What happens if/when you either fall out/he feels he has learned enough?
There are lots of questions, which you should explore, if you think you might be able to help. I would just say; if you choose to go into this, do so with your eyes open and have a long, honest talk with the guy about what you can offer and what he must do. It would be foolish to expect him to be a competent beekeeper though. He's clearly not there yet.
Will he screw up? Certainly - it's called learning. Will he screw up badly? That depends on you.

Well my hands are tied I will try and find her some help from the association.

 

[ericbeaumont]

I supply the hives and you your expertise so I could learn the practicalities. Once I knew what I was doing we could share the care too.

As above: don't do it, but if you must, £30/hour for teaching.

 

[Curly green finger's]

As above: don't do it, but if you must, £30/hour for teaching.

It's horrible telling folk no.
Im starting to think that mentorship should be charged in some ways it already is because I extract the honey and work our mentors bees with there help and give them honey back so this is payment plus the enjoyment of watching and teaching teenagers.

 

[ericbeaumont]

It's horrible telling folk no.

It gets easier!

 

[roger s]

my thoughts: either they shadow you in your care of your bees for a season or you mentor them in their care of their bees (with clear rule that they do and they are responsible, you provide advice for as long as you can put up with it) - anything else is riddled with problems risks and strife - and if that doesn't suit either of you point them at a local BKA

a flat no is the easiest response but bears risk - you don't want bad genes or disease on your doorstep

 

[jeff33]

That would definitely be a no for me, I wouldn't want a 20 minutes apiary inspection turning into an hour and having potential restrictions coming with the site or not getting on with this person.

 

[Ian123]

It probably boils down to a couple of things. How much you want need another site. How much help would they be if they shadowed you or how much time they themselves can spare. If the answer to both is minimal, you have your answer!!

 

[Curly green finger's]

I Agree with you gents,, some valid points to about the pertential risks thanks Roger s, as far as I'm aware she is a member of l&dbka you don't see adverts or offers of mentorship on there Web pages like ever.
What I suggested

1. Put an add on the fb or Web page for a mentor, hopefully the training apiary is open soon which would give her some practical.
2.Get on the forum.
If I offer anything I'm going to be committed.
I did think maybe offer to sell her some bees then at least she would have local bees . Witton is only down by the Knole not 2 miles away and I do have bees down that way..

Talking of sites I've got on the commoners association and that has come up trumps with three new really good sites something that is very much worth doing.

 

[Pembroke]

You could do a one year out apiary agreement with them, your hive and bees, them to observe and take part when you inspect. At the end of the season you have the honey and they can buy the hive from you if their season with the Local BKA has enthused them to take it further.

That way you get the honey and know where the bees came from. Of course you'd have to do the amateurs' inspection rather than the bee farmers inspection (I assume they're different?) on that one site. Only other problem then is what happens if the bees don't make it through next winter.

 

[ericbeaumont]

amateurs' inspection rather than the bee farmers inspection

This is the heart of the issue: mentoring hobby beginners needs slow patience, but Mark is now working at pace to pay his bills: the two won't mix.